CDG Gallery

Tera Thornton

Tera began as a performing artist in San Francisco in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Her father, Roy, was a painter and exposed her to the cultural events that dominated the Bay area at that time. As a dancer, she was a professional at the age of 15, dancing with the San Francisco Ballet and Oakland City Ballet. She received a scholarship to the Conservatory at the University of Missouri in Kansas City and then moved to New York City to dance with Alvin Ailey before his untimely death.

Tera is also a mature musician, and her talent on the cello won her the Concord Pavilion Performer of the Year for both music and dance at the young age of 17. She went on to accept a music scholarship at UCSF.

As a painter, she sees with the eyes of a dancer. Her style is very loose and expressionistic. Her use of color is arbitrary and playful and she has galleries in San Francisco and Las Vegas. Additionally, you can find her artwork displayed around Capital Dental Group. Tera is popular amidst some actors in Hollywood and is known by all as a lover of stray cats, which she calls her children.